Fig. 1

Activation of senescence and its consequences. Critically ill patients are exposed to a variety of injurious stimuli that may activate senescence mechanisms, in which P53, P21 and P16 play a key role. Senescent cells show several specific features including cell cycle arrest, changes in cell structure and release of a number of factors (known as Senescence associated secretory phenotype -SASP-) that result in systemic spread of the response and modulate inflammation and tissue remodeling. Although these mechanisms are aimed at tissue repair and clearance of damaged and senescent cells, their persistence leads to chronic inflammation and fibrosis. Created with BioRender.com